Developing Azalea Material through Drastic Pruning

[sorce]

Hogwash...
I use sphagnum moss on all my trees including elms. To say it kills ulmus in such a general way is wrong.

Sorry

I was just thinking about that.

I'm sorry.

It really could be something else, or more factors.

It's only over winter, I think because it retains so much moisture and NEVER dries out is the entire cause.

After seeing it so much, I'm convinced.

I'll kill a healthy one this winter if you like!

Sorce

 

[barrosinc]

are you guys wiring these or pretty much clip and grow?

 

[Adair M]

You can wire. Use aluminum.

 

[barrosinc]

You can wire. Use aluminum.

Thanks Adair. But let's not start the war again hahaha.

My question is are people wiring other than major branches.

 

[johng]

I use clip and grow for a couple of seasons. Then, when I feel like there are plenty of options I will selectively prune and wire and then start the clip and grow process again....rinse and repeat

I wire whatever needs wire.

 

[Adair M]

Thanks Adair. But let's not start the war again hahaha.

My question is are people wiring other than major branches.

No, no, no..,

No controversy here! Aluminum is best for azalea. They don't like copper wire.

Let azalea grow out, then cut back. Often, they'll sprout 3 shoots. Cut back to two. Usually one of the three will be either straight up, or straight down. Those are the ones to eliminate. Keep the ones going out.

When you wire, don't keep it on very long. Maybe a couple months. Then remove it. Old azalea wood is very brittle. Don't attempt to move it. You only need to wire the younger, flexible stuff.

 

[quietobserver]

No, no, no..,

No controversy here! Aluminum is best for azalea. They don't like copper wire.

Let azalea grow out, then cut back. Often, they'll sprout 3 shoots. Cut back to two. Usually one of the three will be either straight up, or straight down. Those are the ones to eliminate. Keep the ones going out.

When you wire, don't keep it on very long. Maybe a couple months. Then remove it. Old azalea wood is very brittle. Don't attempt to move it. You only need to wire the younger, flexible stuff.

What's the threshold of shoots you can leave without running into reverse taper issues???? I've not stumbled onto reading or an appropriate place to ask before, but it seems to fit into the thread. I've read varying info in books/mags, the lack of consensus seems to indicate either reader error or a number of horticultural issues that come into play that need to be considered. Regardless, great thread here!!

 

[Eric Group]

What's the threshold of shoots you can leave without running into reverse taper issues???? I've not stumbled onto reading or an appropriate place to ask before, but it seems to fit into the thread. I've read varying info in books/mags, the lack of consensus seems to indicate either reader error or a number of horticultural issues that come into play that need to be considered. Regardless, great thread here!!

3 shoots+ from the same spot= a swollen node every tree, every time, everywhere I have read it/ heard it the same is said. Where have you seen different? You prune back to two branches at a fork every time it is possible- new growth, old growth.. Azaleas, Elms, Maples.. whatever..

 

[MaverickLancer]

This might sound like a stupid question, but bear with the newbie here. Is early Spring the only good time to attempt the drastic pruning and repotting method? I've heard of people doing this same procedure as late as August, but I never hear how the results went.

 

[Eric Group]

This might sound like a stupid question, but bear with the newbie here. Is early Spring the only good time to attempt the drastic pruning and repotting method? I've heard of people doing this same procedure as late as August, but I never hear how the results went.

It will depend on your environment.. The heat can be a problem I am learning if done too late in the Spring- of course we are in the midst of a NASTY heat wave, the likes of which I never recall seeing here this early in the year! Like 100+ every day for the past few weeks IN JUNE!? We might normally get 100+ a couple days once the Summer builds into like August/ September, but this early!? Bad for trees...

The flip of that is that if done too late in the Summer or Fall, the tree will try to push growth all through the winter... This is a real issue especially in colder climates.. But even here the new buds will freeze and die over the winter. I had a tree do this a few years ago... I dug it late in the year because it was ravaged by disease and sooty mildew in the spot it was growing. Repotted it around the end of Sept and it was cut back pretty good- tried to pop new growth all winter long and the new buds would die off as freezing temps came around.. It exploded that next Spring though, didn't seem bothered bye it, but I tried to protect it from freezing temps as much as I could over the winter.. In a colder place, I don't know how it would have done..

 

[barrosinc]

If I already have like 30cm (1 foot) runners everywhere 6 months after drastic pruning... should I prune now or wait till next year??

 

[johng]

Max...being unfamiliar with the timing of your climate, I would say prune now if there is more than 6-8 weeks left before cold temps. Otherwise just wait...typically I will prune well before the branches get to 12"....more like 3".

 

[Lazylightningny]

John, based on your instructions, I reduced the root ball on this kurume hybrid last spring by a good 75%, and pruned back to the nubbins. First photo is of new growth coming in, second photo is how it looked at the end of the season. Plan for this year is to trim the roots back a little more, and get it into a smaller pot. Wondering if I should cut back the foliage again, or wait until next year?

 

[johng]

Looks good!
I cut them hard for at least 2-3 straight seasons(branches). Then I will prune heavy again and wire the results....then I will give the tree a break for a season.

IF you prune roots again so soon, don't use a chop stick to open them up....just prune to slightly smaller than the proposed container (leave .5" all the way around) and add some soil on bottom and the edges. I am beginning to believe that this is the way all azaleas should be repotted....I can drastically prune roots (leaving a dense mass of roots) almost anytime but if I open up the root ball after ( like you would with a maple or such) then sometimes the results are less than ideal.

Of course, you are working with a kurume which tend not to be as vigorous at satsuki...I would probably forgo the root pruning for this season...keep pruning and developing branches and move into a container a year from this spring.

 

[barrosinc]

Max...being unfamiliar with the timing of your climate, I would say prune now if there is more than 6-8 weeks left before cold temps. Otherwise just wait...typically I will prune well before the branches get to 12"....more like 3".

Ok... wow... 3 inches... these have leaves a bit larger than the tiny ones. I have been fertilizing a bit to get it to grow a bunch so that might be making leaves larger.
It starts getting cold in may, so I might have at least 12 weeks. I will post some pics today.

 

[johng]

the more you prune the faster they develop!

 

[Lazylightningny]

Looks good!
I cut them hard for at least 2-3 straight seasons(branches). Then I will prune heavy again and wire the results....then I will give the tree a break for a season.

IF you prune roots again so soon, don't use a chop stick to open them up....just prune to slightly smaller than the proposed container (leave .5" all the way around) and add some soil on bottom and the edges. I am beginning to believe that this is the way all azaleas should be repotted....I can drastically prune roots (leaving a dense mass of roots) almost anytime but if I open up the root ball after ( like you would with a maple or such) then sometimes the results are less than ideal.

Of course, you are working with a kurume which tend not to be as vigorous at satsuki...I would probably forgo the root pruning for this season...keep pruning and developing branches and move into a container a year from this spring.

Excellent advise, John. After the initial sawing of the root ball last spring, I think I just teased out the periphery of the root ball a little, and backfilled with bonsai soil. I didn't touch the plant again until this fall, when I pruned a few small dead branches, and cleaned up the crotches of the branches. So, I think I'm on track. This is a great method for developing nursery azaleas!

Is the best time to prune just before bud break? Obviously we're not concerned about flowers at this point.

 

[aml1014]

Excellent advise, John. After the initial sawing of the root ball last spring, I think I just teased out the periphery of the root ball a little, and backfilled with bonsai soil. I didn't touch the plant again until this fall, when I pruned a few small dead branches, and cleaned up the crotches of the branches. So, I think I'm on track. This is a great method for developing nursery azaleas!

Is the best time to prune just before bud break? Obviously we're not concerned about flowers at this point.

the more you prune the faster they develop!

I'd also like to know, I recently received an azalea that was being kept in a greenhouse so I put it in mine to keep it from the cold, it seems very healthy and I'd like to cut back hard but it has broken dormancy already.

Aaron

 

[Mellow Mullet]

IF you prune roots again so soon, don't use a chop stick to open them up....just prune to slightly smaller than the proposed container (leave .5" all the way around) and add some soil on bottom and the edges. I am beginning to believe that this is the way all azaleas should be repotted....I can drastically prune roots (leaving a dense mass of roots) almost anytime but if I open up the root ball after ( like you would with a maple or such) then sometimes the results are less than ideal.

I have noticed this too, John. When I chopstick the roots to get the nursery soil out, it really hurts them. I now just cut a few wedges out of the mass and leave them be. When putting it into a container or bonsai pot, I do like you, just trim the mass a half inch or so smaller than the pot, put her in, back fill with soil. They seem to not even notice.

John

 

[garywood]

I have noticed this too, John. When I chopstick the roots to get the nursery soil out, it really hurts them. I now just cut a few wedges out of the mass and leave them be. When putting it into a container or bonsai pot, I do like you, just trim the mass a half inch or so smaller than the pot, put her in, back fill with soil. They seem to not even notice.

John

John, the potential problem lies down the road if there is very much organics or clay soil in the core. I've had to repot old azaleas that's been in a pot for a long time and started declining. Usually it starts in the crown and moves downward. When seeing where the root problems started, it's almost always in the core at the base where it wasn't cleaned to begin with. Now whether this is watering habits or soil I couldn't say because I only did the rescuing. But, the one thing in common was rot where bad soil was.